A giant bluefin tuna stunned crowds at Tokyo’s famous Toyosu fish market after selling for a record breaking 510 million yen, around €2.78 million, at the first auction of 2026. The traditional New Year event is known for headline grabbing prices, but this year’s top sale went far beyond expectations.
A Familiar Face Behind the Winning Bid
The winning bid came from Kiyomura Corp., led by sushi entrepreneur Kiyoshi Kimura, whose Sushi Zanmai restaurant chain is well known across Japan. Kimura, a regular winner at the annual auction, surpassed his own previous record of 334 million yen set in 2019.
Speaking after the sale, Kimura admitted the price climbed faster than he anticipated. He said he had hoped to pay less, but the bidding escalated almost instantly once it began.
A Tuna Worth Its Weight in Gold
The 243 kilogram tuna was caught off the coast of Oma in northern Japan, a region famous for producing some of the country’s finest bluefin. Priced at roughly 2.1 million yen per kilogram, the fish was carefully inspected before the auction, with buyers examining its colour, texture, and fat content as it lay among rows of similarly prepared tuna.
Kimura described the purchase as partly symbolic, calling it a gesture of good luck for the new year. He added that the tuna’s appearance alone made it irresistible, even though he had not yet tasted it.
Tradition, Prestige, and a Recovering Species
Hundreds of tuna are sold every morning at Toyosu, but the New Year auction consistently commands far higher prices, especially for premium catches like those from Oma. The event blends business, tradition, and spectacle, drawing global attention each January.
While Pacific bluefin tuna was once classified as a threatened species due to overfishing and climate change, conservation efforts have helped stocks begin to recover. Even so, the fish remains one of the most prized ingredients in Japanese cuisine, ensuring that record setting moments like this continue to capture the world’s imagination.
